Taiwan's Ministry of National Defense announced amended regulations that significantly tightenstandards for exemption from military service on December 12, raising concerns that the military is short of personnel.
Revising a total of 180 items, exemptions for substitute service will now only be granted for men with a body mass index over 45 or a height under 144 centimeters.
The height criteria prompted criticism from observers, who pointed out that individuals under 147 centimeters are medically considered dwarfs.
Defense Minister Koo Li-hsiung responded on December 17 by noting that active duty troops will still need to be at least 150 centimeters to serve and that the Ministry of the Interior will determine whether shorter individuals should serve as substitutes. （Related： More Old People in Taiwan are Dying Alone, Most Still Unwilling to Enter Assisted Living ｜ Latest ）
Chiu further stated that serving in the military is a civic duty, and avoidance is unacceptable. The Ministry of the Interior has also previously hinted that the Ministry of National Defense plans to increase penalties for avoiding service by two-thirds and will consider requiring service evaders to fulfill alternative service.
